Cary-based SAS has struck a deal with North Carolina State University to fund computer science and data related projects. The agreement could lead to new products for SAS through the global software company’s sole “master research agreement” with a university.
The relationship between NCSU and SAS goes back to the founding of the company more than 30 years ago by Jim Goodnight and John Sall, who were professors at NCSU at the time. Goodnight also is an NCSU graduate, and Sall received an honorary doctorate from the university in 2003.
The goal of the partnership, which was announced Monday, is to increase R&D that could benefit both.
Areas of emphasis are expected to include: Cyber security, big data, text analytics, data visualization and sensors and health-monitoring technologies.
Under the agreement, SAS will fund joint research projects that are based on proposals “jointly crafted” by the world’s largest privately held software firm and NCSU, according to SAS spokesperson Trent Smith.
There is no funding cap, and SAS will sponsor research on a “project by project basis,” Smith said.
NCSU is the only university that SAS has a “master research agreement” with, according to Smith.
[SAS ARCHIVE: Check out more than 12 years of SAS stories as reported in WRAL TechWire.]
SAS has worked with NCSU to expand data analytics programs in the past and regularly hires NCSU graduates.
“NC State is grateful to have a partner like SAS that has long supported our vision to build the preeminent research enterprise in higher education where business, industry and government come together to address the grand challenges of society,” said NCSU Chancellor Randy Woodson in announcing the partnership. “This agreement expands our ability to drive research, share technology and enhance academic opportunities for our students for many years to come.”
The agreement covers intellectual property management, costs and scope of work.
“NC State has been a vital source of talent and innovation for SAS since our beginning,” said Goodnight in a statement. “We are investing in new areas of research by supporting some of the brightest talent in academia, and accelerating innovation in the analytics space.”
SAS already funds a Master of Science in Analytics (MSA) degree at NC State, the nation’s first.
“Both organizations are now better positioned to benefit from the fruits of their research more quickly,” added Dr. Terri Lomax, NC State vice chancellor for research, innovation and economic development. “This agreement further establishes NC State as a leader in industry partnerships focused on results-driven research and providing students with relevant opportunities to put learning into practice.”
